The Theta Chi house at Fresno State remained quiet on Labor Day, Sept. 3, after a freshman pledge, Philip Dhanens, died following a night of drinking. / Craig Kohlruss, The Fresno Bee, via AP

by Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY

by Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY

Leaders of a Fresno State University fraternity in which a freshman recently drank himself to death told pledges they could not leave a room until they finished off multiple bottles of liquor, the Fresno Bee reports that a court document states.

Fresno police say last month's alcohol-related death of Philip Dhanens, 18, of Bakersfield, Calif., is now part of a hazing investigation, the Bee reports.

Members of the Theta Chi fraternity are impeding the probe into the death of Dhanens, a freshman pledge, and have been evasive, the Bee reports, based on details from a search warrant filed with a local court.

Fraternity members have declined to answer questions or provide information, police Detective Michael Gebhart told the news organization, and police are worried they might destroy or throw out evidence, the Bee reports.

Fresno State officials are declining comment, saying they want the case to be judged in the legal system, according to the Bee. Officials with the fraternity could not be reached, the Bee reports.

According to the search warrant, the pledges were taken to a space called the "Chapter Room" and encouraged to drink rum, tequila and vodka at the Aug. 31 party, the news organization reports.

"In addition, the pledges were informed they were not allowed to leave the 'Chapter Room' to join the other fraternity members in the house until they drank all the alcohol in the 'Chapter Room,' " according to the search warrant.

After 20 minutes of "drinking, chanting and encouragement," Dhanens became excited and began drinking heavily and aggressively," the Bee reports the warrant indicates.

Dhanens told fraternity members he was not well and passed out, and was taken to another space called the "Drunk Room," while other pledges continued to drink heavily, six or seven of them vomiting several times, the Bee reports the warrant says.

Dhanens was found to be not breathing, the Bee reports. Some fraternity members gave him CPR while others called 911, according to the news organization.

Dhanens was declared dead Sept. 2. The coroner reported his blood alcohol level was 0.36, four to five times the legal limit to drive, according to the Bee.